Friday, October 2, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1916, San Diego surgeon Harry Wegeforth and several colleagues founded the Zoological Society of San Diego, the organization behind what became the world-famous San Diego Zoo. The idea had struck Wegeforth days earlier after he heard a lion roar near Balboa Park.

More than a century after a lion’s roar inspired the San Diego Zoo, there’s a new way to get close to the animals. We have details below on dining alongside elephants at the Safari Park.

And while we’re on the subject, what’s your favorite zoo animal? Hit reply and let us know!

Today’s sponsor is Aerless Vacuum Travel Bags, helping fall travelers pack bulky sweaters, jackets, and layers while saving up to 60% of valuable luggage space.

California Bans Child Marriage

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law Wednesday setting California's minimum marriage age at 18, ending its status as one of just three states with no age limit.

Assembly Bill 1267, by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, a Santa Cruz Democrat, repeals provisions that let minors marry with parental consent and court approval. Roughly 35,000 marriages involving minors occurred in California from 2000 to 2021, most involving an underage girl marrying an adult man.

Newsom signed the bill alongside advocate Courtney Stodden, whose parents let her marry a 50-year-old actor when she was 16.

Earlier versions of the ban drew opposition from the ACLU and Planned Parenthood over concerns about minors' reproductive freedom and healthcare decisions. The ACLU opposed this year's measure over concerns about legal protections for minors, while Planned Parenthood took no official position.

Medevac Crash Off Catalina Kills Two

A medevac helicopter crashed into the ocean off Catalina Island on Wednesday night, killing two people and leaving one missing.

The REACH Air Medical Services helicopter, a Eurocopter EC 135 P2, was carrying five people when it went down off Pebbly Beach near Avalon around 7:50 p.m.

Los Angeles County firefighters sent divers and helicopters within minutes. Two people died at the scene, two were hospitalized in stable condition, and the Coast Guard searched overnight for the fifth.

Flight data showed the helicopter had flown from Oceanside and landed on Catalina about an hour earlier. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause.

Stretch of Highway 46 Named for James Dean

California has designated a 4.3-mile stretch of Highway 46 in San Luis Obispo County the James Dean Memorial Highway, 71 years after the actor died there.

Dean, the 24-year-old star of Rebel Without a Cause, was driving his Porsche west to a racing event on Sept. 30, 1955, when he died in a collision near the Cholame Y, where Highways 41 and 46 meet.

Assemblymember Dawn Addis carried the resolution, which rescinds the old James Dean Memorial Junction designation at the intersection and replaces it with the new memorial highway designation.

The corridor, where officials say many people have died in crashes, has since become a divided expressway with two lanes in each direction.

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➤ San Francisco: Four underground vaults erupted downtown Thursday morning, prompting evacuations and an expanded shelter-in-place order along California and Front streets. PG&E shut off additional power as crews responded. No injuries were reported. (See Details)

➤ Sea Cliff: A judge granted a restraining order against two alleged squatters accused of occupying a $4 million Sea Cliff home for a year amid allegations involving forged deeds, as two state bills to speed squatter removal failed this year. (More)

➤ Daly City: Residents urged Councilmember Pamela DiGiovanni to resign over misconduct allegations and failure to complete anti-harassment training required by a 2025 censure. Mayor Glenn Sylvester said the city is considering next steps. (More)

➤ Sacramento: The FBI added Satinderjeet Singh, known as Goldy Brar, to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and offered a reward of up to $1 million. The FBI, which ties him to Sacramento and Fresno, alleges he is a lieutenant in a violent transnational crime group. (More)

➤ Lake Tahoe: Buoyed by a strong El Niño forecast, Tahoe ski resorts set opening dates, with Heavenly, Northstar, and Mt. Rose targeting Nov. 20 and Palisades Tahoe aiming for Nov. 25. (More)

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➤ Fresno: The family of Joseph Perez, who died during a 2017 encounter with police and sheriff’s deputies, reached a $10 million settlement. The coroner ruled Perez died from compression asphyxia during restraint and classified his death as a homicide. (See Details)

➤ Santa Barbara: The City Council voted 4-3 to approve rent stabilization and a rental registry, capping annual rent increases at 3% or 60% of inflation, whichever is lower. The program takes effect in January, replacing a rent freeze that is facing a legal challenge. (More)

➤ Bakersfield: Christina Scrivner spoke out after California enacted the “Scrivner Act,” prompted by former county Supervisor Zack Scrivner receiving mental health diversion on child-cruelty and weapons charges. The law tightens handling of child sex-crime cases involving elected officials. (More)

➤ San Jose: Two Dallas men were arrested in Texas after San Jose police say they posed as delivery drivers to rob people they believed had large cryptocurrency holdings, with crimes linked to several Bay Area jurisdictions, including Atherton. (More)

➤ Fresno: The city raised its lawn-to-garden rebate to $4 per square foot and expanded eligibility, paying residents and businesses to swap irrigated grass for drought-tolerant landscaping. Projects must convert at least 200 square feet, and applications must be approved by Dec. 31. (See Details)

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➤ Highland Park: A student died after falling from an upper floor at Benjamin Franklin High School on Wednesday, prompting a nearly three-hour lockdown. Los Angeles School Police are investigating. (More)

➤ Los Angeles County: A federal law, H.R. 1, narrows which qualified noncitizens, including refugees and asylees, qualify for federally funded Medi-Cal starting Oct. 1. California will cover affected residents with state funds through June 30, 2027, if they otherwise remain eligible, county officials said. (See Report)

➤ Chino: Pomona police Sgt. Richard Aguiar was identified as the suspected driver in a July 26 hit-and-run that injured a motorist. A police report puts Aguiar's blood-alcohol level at 0.299, nearly four times the legal limit. The case was submitted to the San Bernardino County district attorney for potential charges. (More)

➤ Culver City: Measure YV on the November ballot would let 16- and 17-year-olds vote in city and school district elections. Supporters say it strengthens local democracy, while opponents warn teens' public voter records could make them targets. A similar measure failed by 16 votes in 2022. (More)

➤ Pasadena: Sugar, a white peacock allegedly beaten by a mail carrier in an August attack caught on video, has recovered and been relocated to a Northern California ranch, Pasadena Humane said. Animal Control finished its investigation and referred the case to the district attorney. (More)

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➤ The San Jose Sharks opened their season last night against the Florida Panthers at SAP Center, with Macklin Celebrini leading the team for the first time as its 11th full-time captain. (See Score)

➤ The Golden State Valkyries host the Dallas Wings tonight in San Francisco for a winner-take-all Game 3 of their WNBA playoff series, with Golden State chasing its first playoff series win. (More)

➤ Mumps cases climbed to 14 confirmed and one probable on San Diego State’s football team, the university said, with one related case outside the team. The Aztecs host Texas State on Saturday. (More)

➤ The San Diego Padres open the NLDS on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. against the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers after sweeping the Chicago Cubs. (See Schedule)

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➤ The Bay Area's six FIFA World Cup matches generated about $850 million in economic activity, roughly $300 million above projections. Santa Clara County accounted for $410 million and San Francisco $240 million. (More)

➤ Paramount cleared a final hurdle to its $81 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery after a federal judge approved its settlement with 12 states, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta. The companies expect to close the deal around Oct. 6. (More)

➤ Disneyland has about 1.1 million Magic Key annual passholders, a closely guarded figure that former Disney CEO Bob Chapek disclosed in his new memoir. Chapek said totals dip to roughly 1 million after each price increase but typically recover within a year. (More)

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➤ Hundreds of San Francisco bean enthusiasts gathered at Alamo Square Park last weekend for a "Bean-Up," a potluck of homemade bean dishes, from bean pie to elaborate spreads, organized by a Berkeley influencer who goes by bean.supporter. (Read Story)

➤ Johnny Appleseed Days returns to Paradise this weekend for its 138th year, a tradition dating to 1888. The free festival at the Terry Ashe Recreation Center adds hard cider for the first time alongside live music, crafts, and pies, with organizers expecting up to 6,000 visitors. (Read Story)

➤ Mkutano House, the two-story, African-inspired restaurant at the heart of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park's new Elephant Valley, lets diners watch the elephant herd up close from its dining room and upstairs lounge. Elephant Valley opened this spring. (Read Story)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes.

➤ Congress has passed a bill renaming Social Security terms that lawmakers say confuse the millions who retire every year. (Hear Details)

➤ New reporting reveals why body fat is so essential, raising the question of what the right amount is. (Listen Now)

➤ Federal health officials are putting $10 million on the line to revive the Presidential Fitness Test, which researchers say could backfire. (Full Story)

What's your favorite way to eat beans?

Yesterday's Results:

If you could hand one household chore to a robot, which would you give up first?

Yard work: 33%
Cooking dinner: 22%
Other: 16%
Washing the dishes: 15%
Folding the laundry: 14%

For three decades, a Major League Baseball team held its spring training on Catalina Island, courtesy of the chewing-gum magnate who owned the island. Which team was it?

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